


Pine Needles

by sideoftea (orphan_account)



Series: Unified Borders [3]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Claumitri, Dialogue Heavy, Garreg Mach Monastery (Fire Emblem), Hurt/Comfort, Inner Dialogue, M/M, POV Third Person, Platonic Relationships, Pre-Timeskip | Academy Phase (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Romance, Spoilers, Tea Party, dimiclaude, unified borders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2019-10-28
Packaged: 2021-01-05 22:35:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21216158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/sideoftea
Summary: Following a grueling battle in an effort to protect Garreg Mach from being overtaken by a hoard of demonic beasts, the students learn a horrible secret involving the origin of the monsters. Now safe and sound in the student dormitories, Claude and Dimitri attempt to comfort one another in light of recent events when a couple of Blue Lion students pay them a visit to lend their support.





	Pine Needles

**Author's Note:**

> A continuation of my "Unified Borders" series focusing on the relationship of Dimitri and Claude during the events of Fire Emblem: Three Houses. 
> 
> SETTING: Dimitri's dormitory. This piece takes place one night after the end of Chapter 9's mission. (The mission at the end of the Ethereal Moon right after the events of the ball.)
> 
> TONE: More angsty and serious in tone than the previous parts, but warm and hopeful all the same.
> 
> WARNING: Major post-mission spoilers for Chapter 9 of Three Houses.

The first break of a bitter cold assaulted the highlands of Garreg Mach. Winter was arriving late this year, but was sure to be unforgiving. The soft autumn rain was quickly transforming into a relentless shower of ice crystals, the season angry from being kept waiting. Wind whistled through weathered cracks in the window frames of Dimitri’s dormitory, singing as it swirled around the room, its performance ebbing and flowing with the dry warmth of the building. A fire crackled in the corner, embers dancing effortlessly around in pairs like the students did at the ball only a few nights prior. So much has changed in such a short amount of time and Dimitri feared things would become even more unstable. 

In an attempt to distract negative thoughts from consuming his mind, Dimitri buried his nose into the side of his lover’s neck. He softly pressed his lips into warm, tan skin, feeling a few stray hairs tingle at his cheeks. Claude felt a shiver run down his back, fighting his instinct to pull away from the ticklish sensation. Instead, he melted further into the prince’s embrace, finding comfort in one of the few positive things that was currently part of his life. He pensively traced his thumb around the hands that embraced his torso, feeling Dimitri’s hot breath against his newly-formed gooseflesh. Claude’s unmoving stare lay fixed on the windows, watching the unforgiving weather berate the monastery. The beginnings of tears suddenly swarmed towards his eyes, and he took a sharp, ragged breath inward.

Dimitri was quick to respond, his finger catching a small waterfall descending on the young archer’s cheek. He shifted to allow Claude’s head to rest on his collarbone, placing his calloused palm over Claude’s head. Claude was by no means weeping, but he allowed a couple more tears to fall, staining Dimitri’s white undershirt. Dimitri prayed to Sothis for anything he could say to help them feel less broken, but all he could do for the time being was remind himself that at least they could be together right now. He felt Claude’s breathing return to a more regular pattern of sighs, and swallowed hard before asking a question he was holding in for a long time.

“...did you know them well?” Upon asking, Dimitri did all he could to hold Claude tighter.

“I did.” Claude nodded solemnly only to have the ragged gasps return. He buried his head into the prince’s chest, as Dimitri soothingly ran his fingers against Claude’s back. He was afraid this would be the answer. The students that were kidnapped and transformed into those... _ things… _were mostly from the Black Eagles house, but Dimitri had heard a couple of them were Golden Deer. Fortunately, no one from the Blue Lions endured such a fate. It was hard enough for him to imagine that the friendly faces he once saw on a daily basis would be no more, and he couldn’t imagine what Claude and Edelgard were possibly going through, as they knew the victims much more personally. Claude sniffled and spoke up again.

“Cynthia and Marco...” he sharply inhaled once more, “...those were their names.”

“I’m so sorry Claude…” was all Dimitri could mutter. They remained embracing one another, still, as the howling wind picked up its intensity. After a moment Dimitri felt Claude sit up, distancing himself.

“How, how could anyone do that?” Claude began, almost as if talking to himself. “How could anyone prey on such young, innocent lives? They didn’t do anything to deserve this!” Claude angrily struck his fist into the side of the dormitory’s wall. Claude recoiled, pulling his fist into his other hand, rubbing it for comfort while gritting his teeth. Dimitri flinched at this, but did not dare to chastise Claude for his actions. After all, he would have done the same. In fact, he had before, feeling a sting in his chest upon recalling the death of his parents during the tragedy of Duscur. The agony of everlasting grief from acts so senseless; torment from the guilt of being the only one spared. Every breath feels like a curse as you are forced to press onward. Everything is lost, and yet, the faces never really go away. They burrow deep in the back of one’s mind, like a metaphorical string tied around the finger, serving as a constant reminder. And just as well, the recently lost students now lived there too.

Claude glanced at the hole he just made, acknowledging the repercussions. “Sorry about that… I can tell Seteth it was my fault,” he sighed.

“Please Claude, don’t worry about such trivial things. You have every right to be angry.” He embraced his partner again, comfortingly brushing his fingers against the exposed veins in Claude’s forearm. After a moment, Claude let out a very small chuckle.

“I probably just scared the daylights out of Sylvain.”

“Trust me. It’s good for him.” Dimitri’s face softened into a melancholy smile. That was his Claude, tough as rocks. Even in the most dire times, Claude managed to stay light-hearted, not only for the sake and morale of others, but also for himself. There were some folks that disliked Claude, and criticized him for being an uncaring and irresponsible leader. But Dimitri knew this front was just a matter of coping. Very few hearts were as big as Claude’s, and he would be damned if tonight wasn’t more proof of that.

They remained silent for a long time when finally Dimitri’s ears perked up to the sound of his door cracking open. The wind’s high-pitched howl created an awful chorus with the creak of old, splintering oak, which was quickly overshadowed by the call of a smooth, melodic voice.

“Hello. May we come in?” It was Mercedes. Dimitri quickly glanced to Claude, who’s bravery seemed to return slightly. Claude gave him an affirmative nod.

“Please do Mercedes,” Dimitri called. The devout girl gracefully entered Dimitri’s dorm room, pale hands clutching a black iron tea kettle. The door closed, sharply cutting out the sound of howling wind. Of course Mercedes wasn’t the only visitor, because wherever she was, the bright and bubbly Annette was not far behind. She bounced enthusiastically behind Mercedes, though less merrily than usual given the circumstances, holding a tray of small silver cups and some picked-over pastries. Annette’s eyes were sad and tired, but she still managed a hearty smile as she spoke up.

“Hi Dimitri! Um. We delivered some tea and pastries to Edel, you know, to help cheer her up. And we wanted to bring some for Claude too!”

“He wasn’t in his dorm room so we thought we would check here,” Mercedes interjected, one hand cupping her own face as her eyes drifted towards Claude, “and it looks like we were right to do so!” The girls giggled as Dimitri’s cheeks heated up like the tea that was simmering in the kettle. Goddess damnit, was it that obvious? Meanwhile Claude was not phased by their words, and in fact, he seemed rather humored.

“Well isn’t that nice! You girls really are sweeter than peach sorbet, aren’t you?” Claude winked, a classic move Dimitri realized hadn’t been made in a while. He sighed in relief, knowing this was a sign that Claude was going to be okay. Annette’s smile somehow got even bigger.

“Aw Claude! It’s the least we can do. Tea with friends always helps chase the storm clouds away!” Annette’s hand quickly flicked away a tear that was forming, and she eagerly put the tray down on Dimitri’s nightstand. Dimitri helped her pull it to the middle of the room while Mercedes rounded up a couple wooden chairs. They all formed a circle around the tea tray, with Claude and Dimitri sitting on the edge of the bed and Annette positioning herself cross-legged on one of the wooden chairs. Mercedes gracefully poured tea into the four silver cups, taking great care to not spill a single drop. Steam rose, bending and curling as it traveled through the soft, flickering light that cascaded from the fireplace. A nostalgic scent filled Claude’s nostrils as he gasped. 

“Are those Almyran pine needles?” 

“Yes! I thought you would like it. I understand it’s a popular blend for many parts of the Leicester Alliance,” Mercedes responded, her eyes still fixed on the pouring liquid.

“Wow that’s… seriously, you really shouldn’t have!” Claude was touched by their kindness. He found himself to be naturally wary of the noble students from the rival territories since he started attending Garreg Mach. So many seemed self-absorbed in their own family matters and supposed duties. But Mercedes and Annette going out of their way to do all this, well, it was moments like these that helped break down his own prejudices and reaffirm that his big dreams of a unified nation were perhaps not so ridiculous after all. 

“Hey! That’s what friends are for!” Annette’s voice rang out. 

“You’re absolutely right,” Claude said, and in a rare moment, felt his smile arriving into his eyes. Dimitri’s hand rested on the archer’s thigh, and reached his other hand out towards a cup of tea.

“It smells wonderful. And what are these?” Dimitri gestured towards the pastries. 

“Just a few leftover sweet buns I baked for the ball. Feel free to finish them up,” Mercedes answered, taking care to join them in sitting. Dimitri moved to do just that. He scarfed down a sweet bun without hesitation, feeling the flavor of sugary dough grace his taste buds, and proceeded to wash it down with a sip of bitter, pine-flavored tea. 

“Dimitri, you missed a spot,” Annete snickered, noticing a bit of crystallized sugar residing on the corner of the prince’s lip.

“Allow me,” Claude spoke up, also amused. He licked his thumb, and before Dimitri could protest, lovingly cleaned away the sugar. Mercedes lowered the teacup from her mouth and cocked her head to the side, smiling curiously.

“Dimitri, is there by chance something you would like to tell us?” Her eyes darted between him and Claude, non-verbally clueing him towards what she meant. Dimitri froze, his peripheral vision witnessing Annette put her hands towards her face in anticipation. Claude smirked, placing a finger over his chin in mock contemplation.

“Why yes Dimitri. I am also curious to hear what you have to say,” Claude teased. Dimitri groaned, rubbing the bridge of his own nose, admitting defeat.

“Fine. Just please don’t spread this around to everyone. We are trying to remain somewhat discreet,” Dimitri explained. “During the night of the ball at the Goddess tower Claude and I, well, we made a wish together and-”

“Dimitri, the gentleman he is, asked me for a proper courtship. I of course could not say no. The prospective union of our esteemed houses would most likely prove fruitful in the future shaping of Fodlan,” Claude interrupted, doing his best Lorenz impression. Dimitri gave him the side-eye, eliciting a chuckle from the young Leicester noble. “I also said yes because I find your house leader to be incredibly compassionate… and handsome.” Claude furthered embarrassed poor Dimitri by planting a kiss squarely on his cheek. Annette broke down into an absolute fit of giggles.

“Aw! You two are adorable!” 

“I agree Annette. They most certainly have my blessing,” Mercedes chimed in, giggling a bit herself.

“You hear that Dima? We already have the support from two of the finest Blue Lions at Garreg Mach,” Claude cooed. 

“Oh, that’s a cute nickname! I might just have to steal that,” Annette noted, to which Dimitri replied with a sigh.

“Don’t you start saying that too.”

The other three laughed, and decided to stop tormenting the future king of Faerghus for the time being. The small cohort continued to nibble on sweet buns and sip their tea, letting the comforting warmth soothe their hearts and minds. Their conversation aired on the lighter side. Annette and Mercedes got to know Claude better, asking several questions about his childhood, his goals and aspirations, and his favorite kinds of food. In turn, Claude learned more about the girls’ time at the school of sorcery in Fhirdiad, Annette’s passion for songwriting, and Mercedes' talent for baking. Dimitri was practically beaming the whole time, both relieved and ecstatic that his now-partner and close friends were getting along so well. He knew his relationship with Claude would be a tougher sell to the likes of Felix and Ingrid, but at least he was able to break the ice with some of his house. 

The wind finally started to die down, and Annette stretched, letting out a big yawn during a lull in the group’s conversation.

“I’m exhausted. I think Mercie and I better hit the hay.” Annette stumbled over to Dimitri, embracing him in one of her world-famous hugs. “Thanks for spending time with us!”

“It was our pleasure,” Dimitri replied gracefully. Before Annette could even ask, Claude was standing up and embraced her in a hug as well.

“Thanks again Annette. This really helped cheer me up.”

“Of course Claude,” Annette sighed warmly. “We will get through this, together.” Claude gave her a nod, and moved towards Mercedes, inviting her into a hug as well.

“And thank you Mercedes. The tea and pastries were positively divine.”

“You’re very welcome. And please don’t hesitate to let us know if you ever need anything. Just because we are in different houses, doesn’t mean we can’t be there for one another.”

“Feelings mutual,” Claude topped off with a wink. 

Annette and Mercedes efficiently gathered the items from the tea party, and sauntered out of Dimtri’s dorm, wishing the boys a good night. Claude exhaled, slumping back onto Dimitri’s bed. 

“You were right,” Claude started. “Your classmates are incredibly kind. You must be proud.”

“I am,” Dimitri breathed, sincere as ever. He felt Claude’s head rest upon his shoulder, the quietness returning for a long while.

“I just want all this to stop. The fighting. The pain. I wish every moment could be as peaceful as our tea party tonight,” Claude murmured, disclosing his thoughts morosely. 

“I promise you Claude, we will find the bastards that did this. We won’t stop until those scum pay for what they’ve done.” Dimitri stared at the wall, a haunted look in his eyes. He spoke with an edge to his voice that scared Claude a bit, but he grabbed Dimitri’s hand in gratitude regardless.

“Is it alright if I sleep here tonight?” Dimitri glanced down at those hopeful, kind green eyes he had fallen in love with, and felt his softness return. He lowered his lips to meet Claude’s, gently and passionately kissing him as the crackling of the fireplace roared in their ears.

“You need not ask,” Dimitri whispered, briefly pulling away from Claude, holding his lover’s chin between his thumb and forefinger. They stared deeply and longingly into each other's eyes, their faces raw and unfiltered, before falling into the embrace of another kiss. 

The fire dwindled to a soft glow, making the logs look like small, red orbs. The sound of wind, while more subtle than before, did not cease for the rest of the night, mournfully whining in the sky above the sleepless students. Claude, on his back, held Dimitri to his chest, both aware that neither would be getting much rest tonight. Dimitri analyzed the vacant space in his dorm, listening to the methodical heartbeat under his right ear. 

“...Claude?”

“Yes Dima?”

“Regardless of what happens, I can count on you to be there, right?” Claude reflected on this for a long time before responding.

“Well, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd,” he began gently, “I have no idea what the future holds. But, I can tell you what I do know. In this moment, I know I care for you deeply, and I will do everything I can to keep that promise.” Dimitri hummed in acceptance and the night lulled on. The young nobles occasionally managed to drift off to sporadic lengths of light sleep. Every so often they would shift anxiously from their internal thoughts or nightmarish dreams they could not fully remember upon waking. But right here and right now they were safe. Despite everything, they remained in each other’s arms, summoning the strength to tackle whatever lie ahead.

**Author's Note:**

> Between having to kill the transformed students and the assassination of Jeralt, this is the first time the game gets really heavy. It foreshadows the struggles of war to come, and I wanted to explore how some of the characters would process it.
> 
> Inspiration for this chapter comes from a moment during my playthrough that really stuck with me. After the death of your father, Jeralt, the students grant you their sympathy when you talk to them during the 'Explore' phase. Mercedes and Annette offer their support by baking you some pastries. It's a very wholesome exchange that made me a little bit teary. These two are just so pure and want the best for their friends. I love them so much! 
> 
> Also one of the big reasons I ship Dimitri and Claude is because they support each other so well. Few characters have stakes quite as high as the house leaders, as they share in the burden of expectations from being future rulers of their divergent nations.
> 
> Thanks for all the support. It means so much, Sending you all my love! <3
> 
> Feel free to follow me on Twitter: @PerfectTeatime_


End file.
